Shower video leads to child porn charges

In a case that began in 2005 as a complaint over illegal videotaping of people using a shower and toilet in a Fitchburg house, an Amherst man has been charged with possession of child pornography.

Joshua A. McCusker, 34, of 170 East Hadley Road, apt. 55, was arraigned Friday on a single charge of possession of child pornography.

Mr. McCusker was charged after a seven-year investigation that began when a man and his girlfriend approached police in November 2005 saying they had discovered a video camera in the bathroom of the house the woman was renting with three men, including Mr. McCusker.

A police report filed with court records indicate the man and woman contacted police because they were told Mr. McCusker had made a video of the male victim showering and shared it with another of the roommates.

In the process of the investigation, police acquired the video camera, a point-and-shoot camera, a mobile hard drive, computer equipment and some CDs and DVDs. Police did not file charges at the time because they were waiting for information from the state forensics lab, which they were told had a backlog.

Police said that in March 2008, the forensics examination finally began and although it turned up a video of a man showering that was not clear, police got more than they expected. On the various electronic media, police found 10 videos and 1,679 images that appeared to be child pornography

In July 2010, Mr. McCusker admitted to police he had made a video of the male victim showering. He at first told police he was not thinking clearly at the time and then mentioned having a brain tumor at the time. When asked by police about the child pornography images, he claimed two former roommates downloaded them onto his computer.

Mr. McCusker was released on personal recognizance bail to appear for a pretrial hearing March 21.